History
The Tampa Sports Authority built the stadium in the late 1960s, and it opened in November 1967 with a college game. In 1976 it was expanded with added suites as the NFL expansion Buccaneers arrived.
Its wavy roofline earned the 'Big Sombrero' nickname. Besides the Bucs, it hosted the NASL Rowdies, the USFL Bandits, MLS's Mutiny, and Super Bowls XVIII and XXV. The latter was decided by a single point.
Raymond James Stadium opened next door in September 1998, a week after the last game at the old stadium. The structure was taken down in early 1999, and its footprint became parking for the new stadium.
Why it matters: The Buccaneers' original home and the site of Super Bowl XXV, one of the closest Super Bowls ever played.
Timeline
- October 18, 1966
The Tampa Sports Authority ordered construction to start.
- November 4, 1967
Tennessee beat the University of Tampa 38–0 in the first game.
- January 22, 1984Super Bowl XVIII[2]
The Los Angeles Raiders beat Washington in the first Super Bowl held in Tampa.
- January 27, 1991Super Bowl XXV[2]
The Giants beat the Bills 20–19, which Wikipedia describes as the closest Super Bowl ever.
- September 13, 1998Final sporting event[2]
The Tampa Bay Mutiny beat the MetroStars 2–1 in the last game at the stadium.
- January 18, 1999Demolition begins[1]
Mayor Dick Greco struck the first wrecking-ball blow.
- April 11, 1999
The last remaining piece, the east-side luxury box structure, was brought down by explosives.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Parking and staging area for Raymond James Stadium (per Wikipedia)[2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Tampa Spartans | NCAA · 1967–1974 |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | NASL · 1975–1993 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFL · 1976–1997 |
| Tampa Bay Bandits | USFL · 1983–1985 |
| Tampa Bay Mutiny | MLS · 1996–1998 |
| South Florida Bulls | NCAA · 1997 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Official name | Houlihan's Stadium |
|---|---|
| Other names | Houlihan's Stadium (1995–1999); The Big Sombrero |
| Location | 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida[2,3] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football, Soccer |
| Level | NFL, USFL, NCAA, NASL, MLS |
| Opened | November 4, 1967[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | September 13, 1998[2,4] |
| Demolished | April 11, 1999[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 46,481[2] |
| Final capacity | 74,301[2] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia gives 46,481 originally and 74,301 at the end. Clio says about 40,000 originally and 72,000 after the 1976 expansion. |
| Architect | Watson & Company Architects, Engineers & Planners[2] |
| Construction cost | US$4.4 million (original); US$13 million (renovations) |
| Surface | Bermuda grass |
| Owner / operator | Tampa Sports Authority |
| Closure | Replaced by Raymond James Stadium, built on adjacent land. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Tampa Sports Authority Timeline, Tampa Sports Authority. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened
- Tampa Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- Tampa Stadium (1976-1999), Clio. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, demolished, opened, teams
- The lights go out at Houlihan's, Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg Times archive). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (4)
- The Houlihan's rename is dated Jan 16, 1996 by Wikipedia and Mar 21, 1995 by the TSA timeline. The alias start uses the TSA year.
- The first NFL game is dated Aug 10, 1968 by the TSA and Aug 10, 1967 by Clio, so the date is left out of the facts.
- Construction start is Oct 9, 1966 in Wikipedia and Oct 18, 1966 in the TSA timeline and Clio. The TSA date is used.
- The final event (Sept 13, 1998) is detailed only in Wikipedia. The Tampa Bay Times archive page dated Sept 14, 1998 ('The lights go out at Houlihan's') was fetched, but only its headline was readable.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.